Tool for compressing and clamping springs



Dec. 4 1923. 1,476,540

w. w. PRYME K -.TOOL FOR COMPRESSING AND CLAMPING SPRINGS Filed March 20, 1922 Wh/P/PV/wm,

gnue'ndoz rately formed Patented Dec. 4, 1923 'rso eras WALTER w. PRYMEK, on Iowa CITY, IOWA.

TOOL FOR oorarnnssrne AND OLAMPING 's'rnmes.

Application filed March 20, 1322. Serial No. 5 5,201.

To all whom it 11mg concern: 1

Be it known that I, WALTER WV. PRYMEK, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Iowa City, in the county of Johnson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tools for Compressing and Clamping Springs; anl I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. My invention relates to tools for compressing and clamping springs'sueh as are used with valves of gas engines, and the object of my invention is to produce a simple and eflicient device of this character with the parts so arranged that there is no likelihood of any element becoming detached and lost, and which can be conveniently carried in a tool chest and used on all types of motors, overhead, L- or T type, the device being adapted for free and clear movement without interference by projections of the engine, and effective to produce aquick compression and release of the spring.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved spring compressor and clamp. Figure 2 is a top plan view. Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a spring compressed and clamped. Figure 4 is a front elevation.

My improved spring compressor and clamp includes a base or relatively fixed member A having a horizontally disposed bifurcated portion 1 and a slotted post 2, a removable block B being secured to the post for a sliding movement thereon by a screw passed through the slot of the post. This movable block is recessed to form a supporting ledge for a pair of fingers C which cooperate with the bifurcated portion 1 to clamp a spring. Each of the fingers is sepa and has a flat portion 4 and an extension which is outwardly and upwardly curved and terminates in a crook 5. The flat'portion of each finger is designed V for overlapping engagement with the similarly formed portion of its fellow finger,

' these overlapping portions havingv slots '6 through which project a threaded rod 7 sup ported by the bifurcated portion 1. The slotsv 6 permit the fingers being spread apart to accommodate themselves to springs of various widths. This spreading movement is in a straight line, the edges 8 of the fingers lying next to the block 13 acting, in connection. with the contiguous wall of such block, to prevent any turning movement of the fingers and thus any accidental dislodgment of the crooked end of the fingers from a compressed spring.

The operation of my improved-clamp will be readily apparent. With the block B movedto its uppermost point on the post 2 a spring may be readily engaged, the birurcated portion 1 taking under the spring, including spring washer if desired, and the crooked ends of the. fingers engaging the uppermost coil at each side. Turning of a nut 10 will then draw the block down toward the bifurcatedportion and thus compress the spring. /Vhen fully compressed the parts may be locked in this position by the thumb nut 12. The upward curvature of the fingers permits their ready insertion in the motor and this is effective to greater ease in manipulating the device in assembling and dismantling. It is to be noted that by the adjustment which may be had of the fingers springs of various widths may be accommodated, and the forks of the bifurcated portion of the base are sufiiciently spaced to accommodate the device to a wide range in the size of springs.

I claim as my invention:

1. A spring compressor including a bifurcated basehaving a lateral extension, a member slidable on said lateral extension, a pair of fingers slidable laterally on said member, and. means for sliding the memher on the lateral extension disposed between said. extension and the spring engaging portions of the base and fingers adapted to compress a spring between the base and fingers when said parts are moved toward each other.

2. A spring compressor including a bifurcated base having a lateral extension, a block slidably mounted on said extension and having a cut away portion forming a transverse shoulder across the upper portion of the block, a pair of spring engaging fingers slidably mounted on the block having portions engaging said shoulder to prevent a turnlng movement of said, fingers on the block and means for sliding the block slotted post secured to said base and disposed at right angles thereto, a supporting member in sliding engagement with said post and connected thereto through said slot, a pair of separable fingers carried by said supporting member, means preventing a turn- 1 ing movement of said fingers on said supporting member, and means for varying th position of said supporting member rela tive to said post, said means controlling the position of said fingers each to the other.

4. A device of the character described ineluding a bifurcated base, a longitudinally gers for varying'the position of said suportin member relative tosaid ost said P z:

' means controlling the position of said fingers each to the other.

5. A device ofthe character described including a bifurcated base, a post; disposed ing movement of its finger on said block, a

and a bolt and nut for varying the position of said block on said base and controlling the position of said fingers each to the other, said bolt extending through the ledge of said block and the slots of said fingers. o

6. A spring compressor including abi- :furcated base having a lateral'extension, a block slidably mounted on said extension having spring engaging fingers provided with upwardly extended engaging terminals, and means positioned between said lateral extension and the spring engaging terminals of said fingers and base adapted .for moving the block and fingers toward the base for compressing and holding a spring therebetween.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

WALTER l/V. PRYMEK. 

